Traffic Street Signs – USDOT Categories and Regulations

March 27th, 2023

Signs

Traffic street signs include a huge variety of road markers in the US, and even more in the rest of the world. They are regulated in every country in the world by their governments, and here in the US, the USDOT oversees every state’s DOT regarding traffic street signs.

The US Government’s specific regulator, the United States Department of Transportation, or the USDOT, has a manual, called the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or the MUTCD, which assigns letter and number codes to the various types we drive by on a daily basis.

Specified Traffic Street Signs and the Regulation of Traffic Regulation Signs

One of the most common categories are the regulatory signs.

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Do Slow Children Signs Imperil Our Kids?

Barry K. Brown

March 27th, 2023

Signs

On May 18, 2011, Tom Vanderbilt posted an article in the online “Slate” magazine an article claiming that Slow Children signs are dangerous to kids. Of course, it’s an opinion editorial, so Tom has a right to state his opinion of such – which go by lots of different names, but for sake of brevity, we’ll stick with the one mentioned above for counterpoint article.

First, let me say that I think Tom is probably a great guy, though I don’t personally know him. But on this occasion, if he were my friend, we’d have to have a rousing discussion about this.

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Digital Traffic Signs or Illuminated Traffic Signs

Barry K. Brown

March 27th, 2023

Signs

While these two types can cross over, Digital Traffic Signs and Illuminated Traffic Signs aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Differences Between Digital Traffic Signs and Illuminated Traffic Signs

Digital Types are typically lighted with LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes) and may have a small section that shows a number or series of numbers and letters, such as you might see at some airports, or can also be electronic reader boards with messages for oncoming motorists.

Illuminated types, on the other hand, may include digital kinds, but may simply be a sign that is lighted from below with directional lamps,

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Who Regulates Custom Traffic Signs?

Barry K. Brown

March 27th, 2023

Signs

A customized signage that is non-standard. Standard signs, as discussed in the previous post, are the ones like Stop, School Zone signs, or Speed Limit guide markers. Custom traffic signs are used in private communities and military bases. They are even used on the interstate.

In the previous article I discussed standards for reflective road signs which are set nationally by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), or by local states conforming to the USDOT’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). This manual gives all the regulations for various aluminum traffic signs, but doesn’t address a non-standard or personalized one.

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USDOT Standards for Reflective Traffic and Road Signs

Barry K. Brown

March 27th, 2023

Signs

As you drive down the various roads and highways, you’d certainly be lost frequently, especially at night, if you didn’t have reflective traffic signs.

Back when I was a young man in my early 20’s, I spent a few winters in the Southern U.S. and was amazed at the lack of such signposts! Even more, I was amazed at how people knew how to get around without them.

One conversation I remember having with a Southern gentleman, an old-timer in Mississippi, went something like this…”ya’ll just travel yonda up Hwy. 357 and you’ll see a big old oak tree standin’

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A History of Signs and Printing - Part 5

Barry K. Brown

March 15th, 2023

Signs

In this final article on the history of signs and printing, I’ll show how the two came to be combined in such a way as to make the two categories as one. Flexography, offset printing, and lithography have all been magically combined into a new category (although the old categories have not completely disappeared) called digital imprinting.

Well, I thought I would be done with this series last time on signs and printing, and I did actually get into the late 20th century, but I didn’t really get to where they and makers crossed paths.

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A History of Signs and Printing - Part 4

Barry K. Brown

March 15th, 2023

Signs

In this installment of the history of signs and printing, I’ll talk about history of printing system in human civilization with the vast improvements from the mid-1800’s until late in the 20th century. And where the two trades intersected to create a significant change for many sign makers.

To recap the previous three articles on this particular topic, we’ve talked about how signage came to be used in the West and the wood display gave way (mostly) to electrical and neon in the past 100 years or so. This history has never been so fascinating –

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A History of Signs and Printing - Part 3

Barry K. Brown

March 14th, 2023

Signs

The world is full of signage displays in the 21st century. Even in “3rd World” countries, there are lots of signs telling you where to go or marking stores or advertising. And while most of us may give passing thought to sign makers and printing, that’s probably the extent of your thought on the subject.

Recapping the previous two articles on the brief history of signs, we’ve now covered what they were used for and the standard media (wood) ones were made of up through electrical and neon in the past 100 years or so, hopefully this is somewhat interesting –

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A History of Signs and Printing - Part 2

Barry K. Brown

March 14th, 2023

Signs

In this second article on the brief history of signage, we’ve now covered everything up until the 18th century until the present, and my hope is that you’ll have a great handle, whether you wanted a handle on it or not, all about sign making.

Hi again…as I said last time, if you look around, or drive around, when you live in any industrialized country on earth, your locale is full of signposts. Most of us simply accept that sign makers are all about signs and printing and that’s the extent of your thought on the subject.

From Neon and Internally Illuminated Signs to Full Color LED Displays

18th to 19th Century

As I stated in the final part of the of the last article,

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A History of Signs and Printing - Part 1

Barry K. Brown

March 14th, 2023

Signs

If you’re like most people, you simply accept that sign makers are all about guide displays and printing, and that’s about it.

When you look around, or drive around, if you live in most industrialized countries on the planet, your world is full of signs. I’m going to give you a brief history so you’ll know, whether you wanted to know or not.

Where Sign Making, Printing, and Sign Makers Came From – A Short History

Stone Age

In the Stone Age, Grog and his wife, Groggette, sent a smoke signal invitation to Thor and his wife,

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Category: Signs

Traffic Street Signs – USDOT Categories and Regulations

Specified Traffic Street Signs and the Regulation of Traffic Regulation Signs

Do Slow Children Signs Imperil Our Kids?

Digital Traffic Signs or Illuminated Traffic Signs

Differences Between Digital Traffic Signs and Illuminated Traffic Signs

Who Regulates Custom Traffic Signs?

USDOT Standards for Reflective Traffic and Road Signs

A History of Signs and Printing - Part 5

A History of Signs and Printing - Part 4

A History of Signs and Printing - Part 3

A History of Signs and Printing - Part 2

From Neon and Internally Illuminated Signs to Full Color LED Displays

18th to 19th Century

A History of Signs and Printing - Part 1

Where Sign Making, Printing, and Sign Makers Came From – A Short History

Stone Age

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